Intergenerational Service Project - No Sew Fleece Hat
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How much fleece to buy? 2 yards of fleece will make 10 hats. If you are buying a variety of fleece I would not
buy anything less than a 2 yard cut of any one pattern if you want to avoid waste.
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These Prepping Fabric instructions are written with the assumption that you have some knowledge of
buying/using fabric off the bolt. If you don’t, you can take these to JoAnn’s, Hancock’s or any fabric store when
you buy your fleece and any of the sales people would be able to help you.
Prepping Fabric
Fleece comes in bolts around 58 to 60 inches wide. I made the hats 14 inches wide which allowed for a cuff and then a
pom-pom at the top.
1.
Cut a WOF strip 14 inches wide. This will make two hats.
2. From the 14 inch strip, split at the fold line. This leaves two long pieces of fleece.
3. Size of hat: If you know who you are making the hat for, measure their head and add 7 inches. Trim the long fleece
piece to that measurement.
To make in volume for a charity determine whether you are making for children or adults and then approximate the size
you’ll want. For the Gathering I just told the kids to trim off 3 to 4 inches from the salvage and since no one did it exactly
the same we ended up with a variety of hat sizes. If you are doing this for adult men then I would just trim an inch or so
off to get rid of the salvage edge and just use the whole length.
4. With the excess length that you cut off you will make a tie for the top of the hat.
Assembly of the Hat
1. Fold the long piece of fleece (hamburger fold) I learned this from the kids  Means fold the short way rather
than the long way.
2. Position the folder fleece in front of you, the folded side should be away from you.
3. Cut your fringes on the side of the fabric opposite the fold. You need to cut through both layers of fabric at the
same time. Cut in 2 to three inches from the edge.
HINT: This is where I use the template. But as long as the top and bottom layer are cut together, they should be able to
free hand these cuts. The YouTube video shows using strips of masking tape as it’s about the correct width.
4. Start tying the top to bottom layers all across the side. Make sure to double knot the fringe so it doesn’t come
untied. This will result in a tube.
5. Finishing the hat:
a. The next step is to take one of the open ends to make the top. (doesn’t matter which end unless the
fabric pattern is directional)
b. Using a tie you created when prepping the fabric (cut your strip down to about ¾ of an inch) bunch one
end of the tube together and wrap the tie around it. Be sure to tie a double knot.
c. Fringe the top section by making cuts in the fabric above the tie.
Alternate method to finish
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Pick the end that will be the top of the hat.
Fringe this end, cutting a fringe every ½ inch. Cut in about 2 ½ inches deep.
Bunch this fringed edge together and tie with the strip from the prep step.
WARNING: If I wasn’t watching, some of the kids started tying these fringes together like they did
on the side of the hat rather than just bunching them together and tying with a separate piece.
While not designed this way, the hat turned out and looked a little bit like a Mohawk.